Stop Dogs From Barking All Night Long

Dog owners can stop dogs from barking all night long with relative
ease. The following 5 tips can make sleepless bark-filled nights a thing
of the past:

Give The Dog Playtime Every Day

Many dogs
bark throughout the night simply because they are filled with energy
and want to get their owners' attention so that they can play. The first
step to stop dogs from barking involves eliminating a dog's excess
energy during the day. This is easily done when they're played with for
at least 45 minutes per day (of course, more playtime will probably
yield better results.) They can get their playtime via walks, playing
fetch, or even catching frisbees.

Give The Dog
Self-Entertainment Options

No dog owner is available for doggy
playtime all day, every day. For times when a dog just can't
have their owner's attention, the dog should be given plenty of toys to
play with. For outdoor dogs, a small tether ball pole in the backyard is
an extremely fun toy. The length of tether should be adjusted so that
the dog can reach the tether ball when he jumps up to hit it with his
snout. For indoor dogs, a chew toy (like a Kong) stuffed with healthy
dog food can act as a fun "dog puzzle". It takes a lot of effort and
ingenuity for the dog to finally get his tasty reward. When the dog
receives enough playtime during the day, he will be apt to sleep through
the night, bark free.

Make The Dog's Sleeping Area
Comfy and Cozy

People usually don't sleep well if when they
lie down on hardwood floors all night. So, imagine how a dog feels when
he sleeps on cold tile or on a hard outdoor cement porch. If a dog is
comfortable when he sleeps, he will have an easier time sleeping for the
entire night. Giving dogs a cozy bed to sleep on is a very
simple way to stop dogs from barking.

Remove Nightly
Annoyances

If there's something that catches a dogs attention
every night, the dog's mission will be to bark at the annoyance until
it leaves. Of course, this will never make the annoyance go away
forever, but he doesn't know that. The dog will vigilantly protect his
owner each and every night by barking at a blinking smoke detector
light, or at wind-blown tree branches that tap on a window, or even at
the rattling unbalanced ceiling fan in the family room. Owners can stop
dogs from barking by removing these nightly annoyances so that the dog's
mission can finally be complete.

Muzzle As A Last
Resort

When every other option thus far to stop dogs from
barking has failed, one will have to resort to muzzling the dog before
bedtime. He will need to wear his muzzle during bedtime for several
nights in a row. Then, the muzzle can be removed for one night to see if
he barks. If he does...on goes the muzzle. A couple of nights later,
remove the muzzle to see if his behavior has changed. Lather, rinse, and
repeat until the dog has learned that barking at random things all
night long just isn't worth it.